Bristol Broadband Statistics
Bristol has the best fibre access out of all major cities in the South West, and is among the 50 worst-off major cities in terms of fibre access across the UK as a whole. Our analysis of Ofcom coverage data shows that Gigabit fibre is available to 52% of residents. UltraFast 300+ Mbps is available to 93% of residents, while SuperFast 30+ Mbps broadband is available to 98% of Bristol's households.
Despite poor broadband infrastructure, we see high speed test averages in Bristol postcodes like BS5, BS4, BS3, BS9, and BS6. Over the past year, we’ve recorded a 42.28 Mbps median internet speed in Bristol, which is 15% above the United Kingdom national median of 37 Mbps.
Bristol increased access to Gigabit speeds by 11 percentage points in the past year. The buildout rate is also better than neighbouring major cities like Bath (gained 0.75 percentate points) and Plymouth (gained 0.47 percentate points).
Local broadband speeds over time
The median broadband speed in Bristol has increased by 82% over the last five years.
Local broadband speeds in context
As of 2022, the median broadband speed in Bristol is 22% higher than the South West and 13% higher than the UK overall.
| Bristol | 42 Mbps | |
| South West | 33 Mbps | |
| United Kingdom | 37 Mbps |
Bristol 2022 Broadband Scorecard
▲ First place fibre access
Major Cities, South West
▲ 22% above regional broadband speed
South West
▲ 13% above national broadband speed
UK Overall
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Broadband Providers
Overall Performance
We rank each provider relative to all providers in The United Kingdom based on their median download and upload speeds, measured round trip time latencies, and the percentage of speeds tests that exceed 50 Mbps.
Customer Ratings
Customer ratings are based on local reviews matched to Bristol IP addresses. Providers can be scored on a range of 1 to 10, and ranked relative to all providers in The United Kingdom.
Median Speed Test Result
The median is the middle result in the range of tests we measured for each provider in Bristol in the past year. Median speeds provide a better comparison than raw averages because they control for the longtail of tests related to Wi-Fi issues. The charts below represent the distribution of tests associated with each provider from low to high.
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Broadband Network Infrastructure in Bristol
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Ofcom Fibre Access Analysis for Bristol
See the chart below for annual reporting on fibre build rates in the Bristol area. Availability is based on population in postcodes marked as served by Ofcom Connected Nations reports, according to the most recent census.
| 1,000+ Mbps | 300+ Mbps | 30+ Mbps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52.15% | 92.74% | 97.94% |
| 2020 | 41.60% | 92.01% | 97.94% |
| 2019 | 28.45% | 91.41% | 98.49% |
| 2018 | 2.11% | 87.69% | 98.24% |
| 2017 | 1.05% | 50.19% | 95.99% |
| 2016 | 0.00% | 0.39% | 95.26% |
Map of Bristol's Fibre Broadband Availability by Postcode
Gigabit Availability
52.15%
of people living in Bristol can obtain to 1,000+ Mbps broadband speeds
Ultrafast Speeds
92.74%
of Bristol residents can get 300+ Mbps internet service
Superfast 30+ Mbps Broadband
97.94%
availability in Bristol
Poor Broadband Speeds
1.75%
of Bristol is limited to broadband speeds under 30 Mbps
Bristol Broadband Speeds Report
Average Broadband Speeds in Bristol
| Year | Bristol Average | United Kingdom Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 25.1 Mbps | 26.27 Mbps | 4.45% Slower |
| 2019 | 31.98 Mbps | 30.63 Mbps | 4.41% Faster |
| 2020 | 107.44 Mbps | 80.31 Mbps | 33.78% Faster |
| 2021 | 78.5 Mbps | 66.05 Mbps | 18.85% Faster |
Bristol Broadband Speed Distribution
| Percentage of Speed Tests in Speed Range | ||
|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed Range | Bristol | United Kingdom |
| Very Slow: under 10 Mbps | 24.23% | 19.92% |
| Slow: 10-30 Mbps | 26.28% | 25.74% |
| Adequate: 30-60 Mbps | 18.81% | 25.20% |
| Good: 60-80 Mbps | 7.68% | 10.20% |
| Fast: 80-300 Mbps | 18.86% | 15.33% |
| Very Fast: over 300 Mbps | 4.15% | 3.60% |
How Bristol Compares to Major Cities
| City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater London | 5794.21 Mbps | 33.02—95.86 Mbps | 45.54 Mbps | Faster |
| Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.35—109.9 Mbps | 42.28 Mbps | - |
| Birmingham | 941.32 Mbps | 29.29—107 Mbps | 38.47 Mbps | Slower |
| Liverpool | 1134.53 Mbps | 25.52—89.6 Mbps | 34.58 Mbps | Slower |
| Nottingham | 2371.49 Mbps | 16.2—40.46 Mbps | 19.1 Mbps | Slower |
| Sheffield | 932.42 Mbps | 23.73—68.81 Mbps | 32.06 Mbps | Slower |
| Glasgow | 913.93 Mbps | 20.58—71.34 Mbps | 32 Mbps | Slower |
| Leicester | 935.89 Mbps | 27.45—99.24 Mbps | 37 Mbps | Slower |
| Edinburgh | 874.24 Mbps | 29.96—107.47 Mbps | 38.02 Mbps | Slower |
Bristol Broadband Speeds Over Time
We class broadband speed distributions as follows: very slow under 10 Mbps; slow 10-30 Mbps; adequate 30-60 Mbps; good 60-80 Mbps; fast 80-300 Mbps; very fast over 300 Mbps.
How Bristol Compares for Internet Speed in Bristol
| Position | City / Town | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 943.13 Mbps | 30.35—109.9 Mbps | 42.28 Mbps | - |
Bristol Internet Speed Test Results
We analysed the results of people in Bristol testing broadband providers multiple times, with each test starting no more than 30 minutes after the previous speed test. On average, people in Bristol ran 4 internet speed tests per session. Looking at broadband download speeds, if the Bristol resident's final test is 10% faster than their starting download speed, we count that as a succesful and faster speed test result. We count an unsuccessful, slower result if the final result is 10% slower than the starting result; we'd hope their ISP contacts them ASAP! For broadband speed tests that don't vary by that much, we consider the final result to be the same. For Bristol's residents, of the internet speed tests we measured, 43.54% were fast, 25.9% slow, and 30.57% broadly the same.
Most Recent Tests
| Provider | Start Time | # Tests | Duration | Start Speed | End Speed | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE | 18 Jan 2022 23:11:38 | 2 | 49 secs | 7.19 Mbps | 7.5 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 22:37:03 | 2 | 4 mins | 175.77 Mbps | 184.48 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 22:39:30 | 2 | 59 secs | 44.26 Mbps | 3.35 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 22:02:38 | 9 | 10 mins | 107.29 Mbps | 23.58 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:49:43 | 2 | 22 mins | 20.44 Mbps | 7.4 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:20:26 | 9 | 34 mins | 9.57 Mbps | 93.74 Mbps | Improved |
| Plusnet | 18 Jan 2022 21:28:35 | 2 | 24 mins | 65.79 Mbps | 57.48 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:25:08 | 3 | 16 mins | 359.14 Mbps | 356.5 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:38:53 | 2 | 23 secs | 5.55 Mbps | 8.9 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:36:13 | 3 | 43 secs | 183.18 Mbps | 192.11 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:30:22 | 3 | 3 mins | 933.07 Mbps | 930.12 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:06:36 | 2 | 24 mins | 53.38 Mbps | 187.06 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:23:05 | 2 | 62 secs | 72.42 Mbps | 86.46 Mbps | Improved |
| Vodafone | 18 Jan 2022 21:18:20 | 3 | 5 mins | 5.97 Mbps | 7.53 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:14:05 | 3 | 8 mins | 21.23 Mbps | 28.94 Mbps | Improved |
| Plusnet | 18 Jan 2022 21:12:56 | 2 | 6 mins | 5.73 Mbps | 6.11 Mbps | Needs help, very slow |
| Vodafone | 18 Jan 2022 21:18:51 | 2 | 28 secs | 36.89 Mbps | 36.78 Mbps | |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:17:44 | 2 | 37 secs | 156.34 Mbps | 184 Mbps | Improved |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 20:56:29 | 8 | 21 mins | 197.9 Mbps | 176.43 Mbps | Needs help |
| Virgin Media | 18 Jan 2022 21:14:42 | 3 | 3 mins | 500.13 Mbps | 500.27 Mbps |
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Bristol
| # | Provider Name | Max Speed | Typical Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FibreNest | 478.24 Mbps | 118.7—448.33 Mbps |
| 2 | Spectrum Internet | 935.13 Mbps | 190.37—242.07 Mbps |
| 3 | Glide | 941.78 Mbps | 57.34—237.61 Mbps |
| 4 | Hyperoptic | 903.45 Mbps | 59.96—235.67 Mbps |
| 5 | Virgin Media | 943.13 Mbps | 45.5—175.77 Mbps |
| 6 | CIX | 741.34 Mbps | 23.46—124.09 Mbps |
| 7 | BT | 940.39 Mbps | 34.41—101.58 Mbps |
| 8 | Gigaclear | 315.1 Mbps | 46.94—99.96 Mbps |
| 9 | Zen Internet | 893.71 Mbps | 39.48—93.26 Mbps |
| 10 | Vodafone | 938.56 Mbps | 29.95—66.78 Mbps |
| 11 | Independent Fibre Networks | 363.53 Mbps | 36.07—84.97 Mbps |
| 12 | TrueSpeed Communications | 198.81 Mbps | 14.21—80.44 Mbps |
| 13 | EE | 884.01 Mbps | 14.63—56.18 Mbps |
| 14 | TalkTalk | 704.37 Mbps | 21.34—50.99 Mbps |
| 15 | KCOM | 892.7 Mbps | 6.85—54.44 Mbps |
| 16 | iDNET | 60.58 Mbps | 20.63—50.53 Mbps |
| 17 | Sky Broadband | 510.87 Mbps | 14.37—51.25 Mbps |
| 18 | Andrews & Arnold | 39.82 Mbps | 13.14—31.28 Mbps |
| 19 | Plusnet | 74.73 Mbps | 10.23—35.33 Mbps |
| 20 | Gradwell | 43.14 Mbps | 1.44—8.1 Mbps |
| 21 | Shell Energy | 73.71 Mbps | 6.99—23.87 Mbps |
Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Providers in Bristol
How many broadband providers in Bristol are there?
Bristol has 21 ISPs tested by its 463,405 residents.
Who is the fastest broadband provider in Bristol?
Spectrum Internet is the fastest broadband provider in Bristol with 935.13 Mbps, and an average internet speed range of 190.37—242.07 Mbps.
Who is the best internet provider in Bristol?
The best internet provider in Bristol is FibreNest, and their users typically see broadband speeds in the range of 118.7 to 448.33 Mbps.
What is the average internet speed in Bristol?
Users in Bristol see an average internet speed of 30.35 up to 400 Mbps, and the fastest speed we've seen is 943.13 Mbps.
Is Virgin Media available in Bristol?
Broadband service from Virgin Media is available in Bristol, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 943.13 Mbps.
Is Sky Broadband available in Bristol?
Broadband service from Sky Broadband is available in Bristol, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 510.87 Mbps.
Is Vodafone available in Bristol?
Broadband service from Vodafone is available in Bristol, and the fastest speed we've seen from them is 938.56 Mbps.
Is BT full fibre available in Bristol?
Yes, BT offers full fibre to the home (also called FTTH or FTTP) to 6074 of Bristol's postcodes.
Who is the most popular broadband provider in Bristol?
The broadband provider with the most users in Bristol is Virgin Media.
Author: Thomas Buck
Last Reviewed By: Tyler Cooper
Published: 10 Nov 2019
Last Updated: 18 Jan 2022